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HELLO, A FEW MONTHS AGO, I BOUGHT A CO2 LASER FOR THE TREATMENT OF INGROWN TOENAILS. IN SPAIN, I HAVE NOT FOUND MANY PODIATRISTS WHO PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE AND I NOT HAVE MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT IT. I DONT FIND ANY BOOK WICH DESCRIBE THIS METOD WITH DETAILS

I WANTED TO KNOW IF I YOU CAN ADVISE ON HOW TO USE IT, WHICH DOSES I HAVE TO USE TO PREVENT DAMAGE IN THE NAIL PLATE.

AND POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS WITH SURGERY WITH LASER CO2.

THANKS.

 

The CO2 Laser was popular in the 1980s for ingrown nails but rapidly fell out of favor as it did not work well. Why cause thermal necrosis of the nail matrix with the risk of burning the underlying bone when you could just surgically resect the nail matrix with minimal discomfort afterwards (or use phenol or NAOH)? It also does not work for the treatment of fungal nails.

Steven

 

Hi Carmen:

You can ask some information at the University of Barcelona, they are developing some techniques using laser to treat ingrown nails, although I guess it's not a CO2 laser.

Our colleague Luis Castillo is also basing his doctoral thesis about this subject.

Regards

Carmen